29 Responses

NEWSFLASH: Messina says its okay if the golf course is a break-even proposition. I’ms ure someone will dispute me here so I’ll find the quote if I must. In other words, the golf course doesn’t have to make money and its okay with the Supervisor. So, let me get this straight- the taxpayers get to pay millions, the golf course doesn’t make money and Messina counts this as a successful acquisition! Who is he kidding?

Hey Sam how about putting that $1.3 million towards lowering my already high taxes… Im retired and disabled but the town does not care.. nop tax breaks for me…If you had over 700 people sign in favor of the golf couse why don’t they form a group of investers about $2000 each and buy it…

Well looks like all you Sam haters will have to grasp at other straws because Normanside has now become a moot point!! I’m sure it won’t be hard to find some other lie or propaganda to throw at Sam. And remember, the other town board members had to be in agreement. Sam can’t act alone. But that should be obvious enough since he’s sabatoged at every turn. You clowns don’t fool me.

Yes…let’s not forget that Sam is the MINORITY on that board. Remember hearing ” doesn’t matter what Sam thinks/wants, it’s only one vote….” Not sure how HE pushed this one through on his own. When you figure out that one, let us know. Agreeing with Tommy, find another way to bash the man.

The Town had no business bidding on Normanside. But an unsuccessful bid still leaves our leaders with powerful options in trying to preserve “The Club.” They still wield the powers of zoning, planning board and various ordinances. And even though they didn’t win the bid, they can tell the neighbors of Normanside that they tried. I have to admit that it’s politically smart. They really couldn’t lose.

But many, many of us are not going to forget that they tried to foist this absurdity on the rest of the town.

This an example of why our Town needs area representatives to prevent one area of the town from dominating the politics of the town, not board members at large. We need a Glenmont representative, a Delmar representative, etc. so that a small group cannot join with another small group and dominate the direction of the town to the detriment of the majority. And now the town can red tape the new owners to death until they surrender the land. This isn’t over by a long shot. Imagine what the Town will do to the new owners if they try to develop it into something other than a reincarnation of their “Club.”?

If they do get another future chance at acquiring Normanside, maybe they could put it on a referendum? Wow. What a novel concept. Instead of claiming exigent circumstances to ram rod it through when they were really in secret negotiations on it for weeks like this time, they could instead hold a referendum!!!

Come across the border (route 32) and visit us in Glenmont where the building boom will rock your world. It rocks mine every day. We need leadership that cares about development in every part of the town.

Win-Win! If I were politically astute, then this would have been my recommendation. Appease the people who look out their back-windows with a bid, and low-ball so that you mollify everyone else. (Not saying Bethlehem low-balled; just that if think it would have been smart politics to do so).

Back in the day when Bethlehem wasn’t overrun with the likes of ugly developments like Haswell and Normansgate, there were beautiful open spaces that were utilized by the town residents as places to toboggan or hike (Or do I daresay steal a golf cart or two!) But now too many people have moved into our town and have overtaxed our services to the breaking point. This, however, is not the fault of those that built the majority of these homes but the greedy town leaders who approve the multitude of building permits for said ugly abodes.

I’d like to think that the town’s bid to buy the golf course was in an effort to keep some of the remaining, precious open space undeveloped. Now that they’ve lost lets see if they jump at the chance to drive this beautiful space into oblivion by allowing more McMansions to be erected on this pristine land while making no efforts to provide adequate water/sewer/library services that would have to supply even more Delmar wannabees.

You are right WMSTim. And think of all the children who will then go to your schools, at additional cost to the district, not even close to being offset by the school tax. Don’t even think about if they have special needs for services.

so everyone hates new developments and the “riff raff” who buy the new houses? reverse discrimination? class envy? so unless you live in a house that was built when delmar was founded (when was that exactly– i assume you are fine w/ old delmar so maybe anything pre-WWII) then at some point your house was in a new development and subject to the same “concerns” you are voicing now.. the lack of housing in this town is the reason the prices and taxes are so high!!!

I wouldn’t exactly call Normansgate ugly but I don’t know what was there before the development. I wonder how the people who bought Normanside will develop it- the roads back to the club aren’t exactly designed for high traffic. Don’t they have to be worried about not getting approval from the zoning board?

ok, point taken– i agree w/ you #23 but the idea that more development somehow creates more tax liability for the rest of us seems backwards.. i am sure there is plenty of corruption to clean up, BUT this blog article is about the town’s failed bid to buy the golf course

If we continue keep building houses the taxes will have to go back up to renovate the schools once again. They are already overcrowded, we just shut down an elementary school, and the state just lost 1.5 billion for education.